What could have been
by Claybuttons
Summary: Naruto is alot more mysterious then the others think, he isnt what the academy made him out to be, he is better. Who exactly is Naruto Uzumaki? And will anyone ever love him past friendship? Suggest ships in the reviews please, I accept anything yaoi included. No harem, no sakura, no tsunade and no Hinata.
1. The begginish

A/N: Hello my buttons :3, ive got a new story for you! I hope you like it, please suggest pairings. The only rules I have are: No harems, No Sakura, No Hinata, No Tsunade, Yaoi pairings are aloud and I will even do uncommon ones. I would rather it be a yaoi story but I can do boy x girl.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto or any of its characters. If there is something that i made up, like a jutsu, I will mention it :D

'blah' - thoughts

"Blah" - Talking

'blah' \- ANBU sign

Chapter 1: **How It all began.**

Naruto's P.O.V...

'Alright! We finally get a _C - Rank _mission!' I look over at my teammates, Sakura is hanging off of Sasuke, Sasuke has pleading and happiness in his eyes, the latter is most likely caused because of the mission and the pleading... well, Im sure you can guess. "Sakura - Chan! Are you excited for the mission? I am super excited, I mean, I still wish it was something cooler like sa-" I get hit in the head like usual by the largest forehead ive EVER seen. "Shaddup Naruto! No one wants to listen to your weird fantasies!" I feel a bit dejected for a moment but I hide it quickly with a almost to big grin.

"Alright Team 7, go and pack for a weak long trip. Sakura, no makeup or hair products or nail products or... you get the point. Sasuke stop brooding, and Naruto... pack the bare essentials. I frown slightly at that but I let it go and hop off to my apartment ninja style, once there I grab the scrolls that have enough supplies for a week including a tent, sleeping bag, jerky, matches, extra kunai and shuriken, explosive notes, low level barrier seals and extra clothes. I put it on my bed and open my closet and dress in darker clothes, (Think Minato, but without his cloak and its black instead of blue) tying my Hitiate around my neck. I grab a dark red sleeveless vest and slip it on over my shirt, zipping it up I grab the scroll and place it inside the pouch tied to my leg. I wrap half way up my legs with white tape and slip on my ninja sandals, standing back up I enable the barrier seals and close the door. I jump from roof to roof and soon enough I'm at the gates, I spot Kakashi in one of the trees and land beside him. I suppose he senses my presence and looks over "When did you get here?" I give him a closed- eye smile and I here him gasp lightly "Just now." I look back over at my teammates and stand up. I slip off the back of the branch and catch myself with my hands before swinging and jumping down "Kakashi is here, we just have to wait for the client." they were both staring at me with shocked faces. I look at them and a bead of sweat drips down my face and I give a small smile "What?" I see Sakuras mouth open but before she can say anything the client shows up.

**A couple hours later...**

We are in Diamond formation, I am at the front, Sasuke and Sakura are at the side and Kakashi is in the back. It covers all sides of the client... Is that a puddle? But it hasnt.. oooh.. act normal. I glance back, the double s haven't noticed but I can see the realization in Kakashis eyes, we pass the puddle and soon enough the genjutsu is broken and Kakashi is ripped apart, revealing sliced up wood. Mkay, I stare at the wood, then look at our attackers as Sakura screams bloody murder. I raise my eye brows and smile "Oh! Look, its the demon brothers of the mist! Usually wherever you are your friend Zabuza is close to follow." I stare at them and they look at eachother before shrugging and running at my teammates, I intercept before they can make it and grab Gozus chain and wrap it around his brothers neck. I then kick Mezu and punch Gozu apart causing the chain to tighten and knocking them both out. I brush off my shoulder and then grab the chain, pulling towards a tree and tying the brothers to it with ninja wire. I let out a breath and looked over at my teammates, they had looks of shock again and I shrugged. I then look over at the client "This was supposed to be a _C - Rank_ mission, that states that the most we would run into is bandits; not missing-nin. So why are there missing-nin after you? Did Gatorade hire them? oops, sorry I meant Gato." I crossed my arms and give him that look, the one that says: Get-on-my-nerves-or-lie-and-we-are-done-here. He broke pretty quickly, he continued on to say how Gato has taken their money and took over most of the business' leading to poverty and starvation in save as well as the mercenaries that take women from time time and bring them back crying, sometimes even children. He also tells us about how he has a daughter and grandson who's dad got killed by Gato and that he couldn't pay for a high enough mission with what the other villagers put together. I rub my face "This is way beyond our pay grade, continuing on would guarantee a run in with Zabuza. Kakashi - sensei, what do you think?" the double s' look at me weirdly. He pops out of the trees making them both swivel to face the 'Dead kakashi' only to see a log in splinters. "Good work Naruto. You didn't freeze up at all! However," He looks at the double s' "You two where to slow and almost got yourselves and the client killed. Since Naruto took it upon himself to interrogate Tazuna-san himself and we all heard his explanation, would you two like to continue? Sakura answer first." They stood there in silence and when Sasuke was about to glare at her to pressure her I slapped him and whispered "No peer pressure!" Sakura moved from foot to foot and played with her hands "Um, well... I don't think I am strong enough Kakashi sensei. But Naruto and Sasuke-kun are, I can go back and get backup..." I stared at Sakura in shock before blinking. I look at Kakashi "If you want I can provide a team of clones that look like us so she isn't alone on the way back." Kakashi looks to be thinking it over before nodding "Good choice Sakura, and good idea Naruto. When you get back to the village make sure to go to the Hokage right away and say its an emergency." Sakura nods and I make the clones that then transform into Kakashi and Sasuke, leaving one to look like me. "Alright, you three are to escort Sakura back to the village. Once there wait for Sakura to explain to the guards that you are shadow clones then disperse. Got it?" A chorus of "Got it boss" came from the three as they settled into their identities. Kakashi looked at them closely "Are you sure those aren't our own clones? They even act like us..." I chuckle "Yup, everything is copied. Even down to the fine print." He swung his had to me and I nodded "You sly little child.. teach me your ways. Please! I beg of you!"


	2. The begginish part 2

A/N: Already people have started to vote! Some people also want threesomes soo... if you want a threesome just tell me lol and ill add it. This is what ive got so far:

Naruto/Gaara - 1

Naruto/Itachi - 2

Naruto/Shikamaru - 4

Naruto/Kurama(Kyuubi) - 1

Naruto/Fū - 1

Naruto/Kakashi - 1

Anymore suggestions? Also, I got a review suggesting to make a chapter of his past, that was already my plan but its going to happen slowly, for example, with flashbacks. I dont want to make this like the fillers where in naruto shippuden, I hated those. Anyways, theres a reason why Naruto is a mystery and im sorry about the giant paragraphs.

Chapter 2: The begginish part 2

When we finally got the farthest we could go to walk Tazuna called over the rower and the guy shushed us, as if he could be quieter then a shinobi...

**Flashback...**

_"Alright Naruto, this is stealth training. Your mission is to prank the ANBU and get away from them without being caught, then paint the Hokage mountain in broad daylight." I stared up at the Hokage and snorted, I had just opened my mouth when he interrupted me "In bright orange." I stared at him like he was crazy, I voiced my thoughts "Are you crazy? Not only am I gonna prank them, they are gonna want to kill me for tricking them while wearing bright orange! I got this in the bag Jiji!" I guess the Hokage didn't realize I already prank the ANBU and paint the Hokage mountain. His plan doesn't work however because the ANBU masks filter out bright lights and colours to make it easier to see, and darken them. This will be a piece of cake!_

**Flashback end...**

Yeah, needless to say, I did pretty well. Back to the present. We got out of the boat and walked quietly to the village, Sasuke and I were on either side, myself being on the right and Kakashi in the back. After leaving the docks we walked thru the forest to get to the village and halfway there I heard movement. I didn't turn my head but I did move my hand discreetly to my Kunai pouch and flicked one over, hearing a puff we all pause. I walk over and pick up the terrified **white** rabbit and turn to Kakashi, "Duck." Kakashi grabbed Tazuna and Sasuke and they all dropped to the ground and barely a millisecond later a giant sword is flying thru the air and half way into a tree. "Zabuza, we have been expecting you..." I walk out of the bush as the rest of team 7 and Tazuna rise, Kakashi keeping his eye on the new threat. "Zabuza Momochi, given the monikerDemon of The Hidden Mist. _A - Rank _Missing nin." Kakashi let his KI leak out as he said it. "Wheres your sidekick? The fake hunter?" Zabuza narrows his eyes at me.

"Who are you gaki?" I shrug "A person, background character." He blinked at me and turned back to Kakashi and grinned.

(Take the fight from cannon and insert here, up till when Kakashi gets stuck in the water bowl. I know its not a water bowl.)

I stare at the mess my lazy sensei has gotten himself into "Sensei... your stuck in a fish bowl." he gives me a desperate look "Just go, run Naruto, Sasuke! Take the client and RUN!!!" I sigh at him and shake my head "Dont you know anything Kakashi - sensei? Teammates stick together, plus, nobody can trick a master prankster." I grin just as thousands of puffs appear on the lake showing clones that look identical to myself surrounding the two. "You have one chance to let him go," I hear him snort and I shake my head, I lift my hands and the clones do the same. "You really are an idiot, **(Fūton: Kakeami**, **(Fūton: Renkūdan)**" First I created a net of slicing wind and then my clones all shot air bullets thru the net at Zabuza...

**Flashback...(Probably the worst time possible)**

_I sat in class pretending not to listen as Iruka explains what elemental ninjutsu is, having already heard it once I don't listen as closely. 'Why did I fail the test? was it the bunshin? But everything else sas perfect so I should have passed.' This is my second year in the acedemy, Jiji has already given me so much training... perhaps he would teach me about elemental ninjutsu._

_Later..._

_I knock on the door and enter when I hear a quiet "Enter". I walked in and closed the door behind me, "Hi Jiji," the old man smiles at me "Ah, Naruto. Just the person to brighten up this old mans life, what do you need my boy?" I grin and walk over to his desk "I was wondering if you could teach me about elemental ninjutsu, It isn't part of the test to pass but I was hoping I could learn an elemental bunshin. Its the only thing I didn't pass, everything else I got perfect on." He frowns but hides it quickly. He opens a drawer and passes me a piece of paper, its chakra paper. I push some chakra into it and it splits into two, one becomes soaked and the other burns. "I probably got water from mother and fire from Kurama, where did I get wind from tho?" I look at the Hokage and see him shocked for a moment "Could it me from my father?" he sighs and his face scrunches up "You know I can't tell you who he is Naruto, however, I do think that wind nature came from him. Its pretty strong so I say you should focus on that." I frown and look at a picture on the wall debating whether I should tell him, "Jiji," he looks at me and I turn to him. "I know who my dad is." Is what I was going to say. Instead I said thank you and left, glancing at the photo again of a blonde haired blue eyed man._

**Flashback end...**

I narrow my eyes and watch as Zabuza lets go of the fish bowl and goes under water, everything stops at once and its an eerie silence. One of my clones helps Kakashi up and all the clones release themselves, soon enough Kakashi is beside me. "Good work Naruto, but its not over." I nod, I feel something flit in my senses and I tense "Sasuke, Tazuna move!" I turn and watch as Zabuza appears behind them seconds later and time slows down as his sword lowers 'Dammit!' I throw a Kunai and it hits Zabuza's shoulder, digging into the joint. This gives enough time for Kakashi to appear in front and block him, sending a second Kunai into his chest. The Kunai misses his heart my centimeters, I could tell. Not two seconds later I notice a pair of senbon hit Zabuza in the back of the neck and he drops 'Dead'.

The fake Hunter nin drops down and grabs Zabuza quickly and disappears, "Welp, he is most definitely not dead. However, with his injuries he will not be active for another week meaning we have time for backup to arrive." I hear something slump to the ground and sigh, "Alright, Tazuna do you have any room for us?" He nods and I slide Kakashi across my shoulders and pick him up. "Lets go then, Sasuke guard Tazuna" A glare "Ill make a clone to guard more sides." I make a couple clones and we start walking.

**A few hours later...**

I am checking on the minor wounds Kakashi had been inflicted with when I hear a knock on the door downstairs, Sasuke talking to someone and some people entering. My hair is just long enough to be in a ponytail at the back of my head and I had slipped off my vest when I had gotten Kakashi in bed a bit ago. I finish up with Kakashi and leave the room, heading down the stairs I come upon the sight of team 10 sitting in Tazuna's living room. I walk in and sit across from them with crossed arms and legs "Naruto, how is Kakashi." I sigh and rub my face, "Sensei, nice to see you again. Kakashi has minor injuries and chakra exhaustion. He is in bed knocked out at the moment." Asuma nods and lets out a heavy breath "Report" I suck in a breath "About two hours from the village we came across the Demon brothers disguised as a puddle, they came out and attacked Kakashi. Thinking they had killed him they came after Sasuke, Sakura, Tazuna and myself. I intervened and incapacitated them quickly, then asked Tazuna some questions. We decided as a group that Sakura would go back with a few of my bunshin to get back up. As we continued it went smoothly until aftted we left the docks where I threw a Kunai at a rabbit-" "You what! Why I aughta-" She receives a glare and shuts up. "A rabbit that was kawarimied into that spot. Zabuza then appeared, Kakashi faught him and got caught up leading me to ambush Zabuza with multiple clones, casting a wind net and mutiple air bullets causing him to retreat." Breath.

"Zabuza then appeared behind Tazuna and Sasuke where he was about to slice them had I not thrown a Kunai into his shoulder and Kakashi throwing one into his chest. Two senbon then hit the back of his neck and his sidekick took him, at that moment Kakashi passed out and we took him here where I proceeded to bandage him where needed. I know Zabuza is still alive but he won't be able to fight for at least a week." Asuma nods slowly and mutters something, while I'm waiting for him I observe his team and their reactions.

Ino: *Looking at Sasuke like he is a god* Wow! Your so cool Sasuke - kun!

Choji: *Munching on chips*

Shikamaru: *Observing me as well*

I raise my brow at him and he closes his eyes, just then Asuma looks back at me. "Alright, Naruto you are going to be team 7's leader until Kakashi is fit for duty. Tazuna, how many extra rooms do you have?" He gets a short "three" and nods "I will stay with Kakashi to look after him, Naruto, Shikamaru, Sasuke and Choji share a room and Ino gets her own. Any objections?" Silence. "Right, I will set up my shadow clones around the house. I am going to go train." I get up and leave the house, once outside I summoned shadow clones and sent them off.

Just as I am in a clearing my body freezes "Do you need something Shikamaru?" I hear a grunt "Who are you?" I raise a brow then remember that im not acting like I did in the academy "I know your Naruto, but your not the same one from the academy." I smile slightly "How can you be sure I'm Naruto? What if I was-" I henge into Ino and hear him groan "Ino, or perhaps if I was-" I henge into the Hokage "The Hokage. If I am not Naruto, but a enemy ninja, I could kill you right now and your friends would never hear from you again." I turn around while caught in his shadow "But, your lucky I am Naruto." He releases the shadow and narrows his eyes at me "Favourite food?" ah, questions that only he would know. Anyone that knew the Naruto from the academy would automatically assume his favourite food was ramen however... "Yakitori" nobody knows me best but Shikamaru. But he still doesn't let up and continues asking me questions until the last one "What's your mask?" ah, yes the mask question. See when I was younger I got drafted into ANBU for a short time, the only people that had seen my mask was the Hokage and I only told Shikamaru. I smile "Deer" he lets out a breath "Why do you feel the need to mess with me like that. It is so troublesome." I chuckle as he drops to the ground, I follow him down. "Why not? Keeps you on your toes." He sighs and lays down, I stay sitting up to watch him. "Whatever, wanna play shogi?" I contemplate it for a second before remembering that I can just use clones to guard us, I do so and mumble an affirmative. He grabs a scroll and sits up, laying across the grass he puts his chakra into it and a shogi board with pieces pops out.

After playing for awhile I notice Shikamaru starting to get drowsy, they must have booked it here to get here so fast. "You can lay down if you want, you must have used a lot of energy to get here." he yawns and nods, while he lays down I start to pack up the shogi board and once it is away I see he has fallen asleep. I double check that my clones are still alive and I lay down myself facing him "Shikamaru." Nothing, good. I suck in a breath and stare at his sleeping face, blushing lightly I talk to him. "If only you knew..." I close my eyes and drift off to sleep but not before hearing Shikamaru "I am a genius, but I don't think I will ever be able to understand you."

A/N: **Character relationship development, we all love that right? Hit me up with more suggestions, including threesomes if wanted and what characters. I will be taking suggestions until the next chapter, so get your choices in!**


	3. The begginish part three

A/N: I will write my story how I god damn want to, I appreciate constructive criticism. Not telling me what POV it should be in, or how I'm degrading characters cause I hate them. I don't hate any of the characters, and I have not degraded them. If you don't like how I write my story's then go away.

**Chapter 3: The begginish part 3****Sasukes POV...**Naruto and Shikamaru have not come back yet and its already morning, perhaps I should go and look for them?

"Sasuke, can you go and see if you can find Naruto and Shikamaru?" I grunt and walk out the house towards the forest.

I come upon the sight of Naruto sleeping in Shikamaru's arms on the ground, sleeping peacefully. I was about to yell at them to get up when Shikamaru stares at me.

"Don't, he hasn't slept this well in a long time. Go back." He says in a hushed tone. I sigh and nod, turning back to the house.

Once I get back Asuma asks me if I found them, "They are..." What should I say? Training? Sleeping? "Sleeping." Asuma whips his head towards me.

"Naruto's sleeping!?" I raise an eyebrow and look at him with confusion "uh, yeah?"

"Sorry, its just that, Naruto has a hard time sleeping and even when he does get to sleep, it is littered with nightmares." I instantly understand, not being able sleep and when you do finally fall into the bliss your hit with traumatic visions.

"What does he have nightmares about?" He frowns.

"Sorry, you would have to ask Naruto. It isn't my place to tell you about them, I can however say that it centers around his childhood. It is why he trains so hard, so that what happens in his nightmares never happens again." I nod.

"Dont worry about it Sasuke, Naruto might just tell you of his own accord but you have to be friends with him. Not just fake friends." I nod absently.

**Shikamaru's P.O.V...**He always sleeps so soundly in my arms, I wonder why. Sasuke seeing us is not a problem, as long as he keeps his mouth shut about it. However much I want it, I would not ask Naruto to be in a relationship with me and I don't want to ruin our friendship by asking. As long as I can do this with him I'm okay.

I brush away a piece of hair that fell into his face and smile sadly "You will never be troublesome to me." I move my face towards his slowly and hesitate before lifting it up and kissing his forehead instead.

I hear a grunt from him and watch as he slowly awakens, he opens his eyes and looks at me. "Shika? What," Tears start to fall and I am very suddenly concerned for him.

"Hey, whats-" I am silenced. By his lips. Naruto is kissing me. On the...

I kiss back gently, careful not to scare him. Did he have a nightmare? But he wasn't screaming or crying in his sleep. He pulls away and I instantly miss the feeling, he blushes bright red and covers his mouth.

"Oh my gosh, Shikamaru I am so sorry. I didnt mean to-" Now its my turn to kiss him and he instantly calms down, I pull away and pull him to my chest.

"Its okay, its fine." He starts to breath really quickly and I push him away slightly so I can look at him.

"Naruto, stop its fine. Don't worry about it." He looks at me with worry before before nodding and slowing down his breathing with his eyes closed.

He starts to sit up and I do so with him "Hey, what happened, what's wrong?" He starts to cry again and I instantly know it was bad.

"I had a nightmare, a-and you were in it this time. I was so scared, and then you were there protecting me and then you got taken away and I couldn't, and then they killed you right in front of me. Th-they killed you and I couldn't do anything a-and.." He starts to sob harder and I pull him to me and I shush him.

"They killed you and I never got to tell you... I never... you didnt know and you died protecting me..." Now I was just confused, if I wasn't so concerned for Naruto I probably would have figured it out.

"Who, Naruto. Who killed me." I say it as gently as I can.

"The villagers, they killed you cause they knew... they, they... they knew I loved you and I couldn't do anything as they killed you and I never got to... to tell you." He sobs really hard again, eventually passing out. I was shocked, Naruto... loves me?

I shook my had and picked him up, heading back to the house. I opened the door and stepped in, Asuma looked concerned to see Naruto passed out in my arms but I just shook my head and brought him upstairs. After I layed him down and covered him I walked downstairs.

"What's wrong with Naruto? Did he have another nightmare?" I nod my head at Asuma solemnly, showing it was a bad one this time.

"He had a nightmare that the villagers killed me in front of him and he couldn't move, he said I was protecting him." He nods, understanding why Naruto had tear tracks and red eyes. Little did Shikamaru and Naruto know, Asuma knew all about the feelings had for each other so a nightmare like that could make or break their relationship.

"And he confessed to me." Asuma sighs in relief and I look at him in confusion.

"That nightmare could have either, made Naruto start avoiding you, or make him tell you about his feelings in fear that you would never know if you were killed before he could say anything." I nod, thankful that it was the latter that happened.

"Are you going to tell him about your feelings?" I freeze and look at Asuma to see him chuckling.

"I can read you two like a book, I always knew. Why do you think I volunteered our team for this mission? Naruto needs someone he trusts to be here for him so he isn't locking away his emotions. Don't worry about it for now, just go upstairs and lay with him." I blush slightly and nod.

Getting up I walk upstairs and into the room I put Naruto in to see Sasuke in his own cot watching Naruto, I raise an eyebrow at him and he shrugs. I look to the door and he gets the message.

After he leaves a sit down beside Naruto, waiting for him to stop pretending to sleep. After awile I opens one eye a bit and pouts.

"You knew I was awake the whole time, how?" I shrug, but I knew. He never sleeps so soundly unless I am next to him, he must have been awake when Sasuke was in here to.

I brush a piece of hair away from his face as we stare at eachother, enjoying the silence. When a tear drops from his eye the silence is broken "Please forget what I said." That's what he was thinking about.

"What if I don't want to?"

"Please, I don't want to ruin our friendship." He looks away and I debate whether or not I should do something.

With my mind made up I place my hand on his cheek and lean forward, "You can't ruin our friendship with something I want as well." I hear him gasp slightly before I close the distance, for a couple seconds he does nothing and then he starts to kiss back.

He puts his elbows under his back to support him self, lifting his body higher. I moved my free hand to caress his side under his shirt and he moved his hand up to hold my neck.

We pull apart and I look straight at him, "I love you."


End file.
